2 days ago
Rising Calgary golf star shines at Rogers Charity Classic fundraiser, raising $160K for youth charities
A junior golfer from Calgary stole the spotlight at the Rogers Charity Classic this weekend, turning nerves into a $160,000 boost for local youth sports charities.
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Sydney Bisgrove, 19, was one of two junior golfers invited to take part in the Legends of Hockey fundraising shootout at the Canyon Meadows Golf & Country Club on Saturday, competing alongside NHL and PWHL stars. Participants took turns hitting shots on the 18th hole in a closest-to-the-hole contest, with the prize money going to their chosen charities.
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'It was about an 80-yard shot, and I was super nervous,' she said. 'There were a ton of people watching, but I was able to put some good shots together, hit a few close and win it.'
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Her performance secured $115,400 for First Tee Alberta, a charity that introduces kids to golf while teaching leadership, confidence and life skills. In total, about $160,100 was raised through the event for several youth sports organizations.
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First Tee Alberta program manager Kelsey Chadwick called the win 'extremely impactful,' adding the funding will help the charity expand into new communities.
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'It will mean we can expand a lot quicker and get golf clubs into kids' hands a lot faster,' Chadwick said.
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The charity runs school and community programs in Calgary, central Alberta, Medicine Hat and Cold Lake First Nations. It partners with organizations such as Big Brothers Big Sisters, KidSport and newcomer groups.
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Most of its programming is free or low-cost and geared toward children ages 7 to 12, Chadwick said.
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For Bisgrove, the victory is just the latest highlight in a budding golf career. She picked up the sport in Grade 6 and quickly fell in love with it, practising daily for years, she said.
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Now entering her sophomore season on a scholarship at the University of Texas at San Antonio, she recently won the inaugural women's division of the Alberta Open.
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